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Inslee declares state of emergency for damaged overpass near Ritzville

August 2, 2018

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Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday signed an emergency proclamation for Adams County to help the Washington State Department of Transportation make emergency repairs to a damaged I-90 overpass near Ritzville and request federal assistance to help pay for those repairs.

The overpass sustained an estimated $740,000 in damage when it was struck July 10 by a vehicle carrying an oversize load. The entire eastbound span of the bridge must be replaced, and traffic on the overpass is limited to one alternating lane until repairs begin.

Additionally, "weight restrictions placed on the bridge have required a detour for farming vehicles traveling to the area’s grain elevator," said Mike Gribner, WSDOT's Eastern Region administrator. "Delaying the repairs would put even more burden on this important farming community."